FrontDoor
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Features and Technical Specifications:

FrontDoor requires a personal computer with a MS-DOS compatible
operating system (version 3.10 or later), 1.4 MB of disk space, 256
kB of RAM, an asynchroneous modem, and a regular telephone line.

The FrontDoor system contains a Mailer, an Editor, a Terminal, a
serial port device driver, and configuration utilities.

Its strong security management allows system administrators to retain
the integrity of vital information and enable password protection on
most user-functions. Up to 512 session passwords can be configured to
automatically verify the authenticity of calls.

There is no need for servers or expensive equipment, but FrontDoor
supports multitaskers and LANs. Up to 256 tasks and 10 users** can
simultaneously access the power of a single FrontDoor installation.

FrontDoor supports a virtually unlimited number of destinations,
names, and telephone numbers (the theoretical limit is over 1.2x1020
entries, but DOS has a 4 GB, or 4.3x109 bytes, limit on file size).

File transfer protocols used by FrontDoor are Zmodem, Zmodem/CRC-32,
Telink, SEAlink, SEAlink Overdrive, and Xmodem/CRC. Transmitted file
size is limited only by DOS.

FrontDoor s integrated environment provides comprehensive mail
management and editing facilities, yet simple to use despite its
sophistication. Ease of use in creating, storing, and forwarding mail
and files to other systems means increased productivity.

A temporary DOS shell can be accessed from FrontDoor at nearly any
time, and it can swap itself out (all but 4 kB) of conventional RAM
to free up memory for your activities in the shell.

The Editor has 20 (24 on enhanced keyboards) configurable macro-keys
with a powerful script language. The Mailer has 20 (24) configurable
function keys for launching external applications. The Terminal
supports over 65,000 sets of 20 (24) macro-keys.

A maximum of 400 message folders can be installed to hold messages
sorted on type and topic. The system netmail folder (main inbound and
outbound folder) can contain up to 2,500 messages, other folders can
contain over 3,000 messages each.

Folders can be used for conferences where several systems and users
are participating. TosScan, FrontDoor s companion program,
facilitates electronic mail conferences between two or more systems.

An attached printer can automatically print new (incoming) messages.
Newly arrived mail is easy to find, read, and reply to. Replies can
contain quotes of original text to remind recipient of issues.

Messages can be selected on one of several different criteria;
selected messages can easily be copied, moved, removed, printed, and
exported to file.

Outbound messages can be marked with one or both of two receipt
requests, the handling of which depends on the capabilities of the
software used at the destination. One receipt request is for when the
software at the destination receives the message, and the other is
for when the addressee is viewing the message for the first time.

Files can be attached and requested with or without cover message.
Update requests allows for a system to only send files when the
receiving system has older or no versions of the files.

Carbon copies and blind carbon copies (the latter are copies of a
single message to several destinations without an indication that the
message is copied to others) can easily be created, also with
attached or requested files. Destinations can be entered manually or
read from a specified file. Messages can be cross-posted in two or
more folders with a simple command.

Up to ten markers can be inserted in a folder, which allows for rapid
movements between marked messages.

DOS text files can be imported to messages.

Custom screen modes can be specified separately for the Editor, the
Mailer, and the Terminal. It enables FrontDoor to change the number
of columns and rows displayed on the screen for each of the
applications to any values supported by the hardware in text modes.

Any DOS text file can be edited in a full-screen editor, and all
system text files are loaded into the editor using simple function
keys.

FrontDoor is developed with support for and has been successfully
tested in the following multitasking and multi-user environments: DR
Multiuser DOS 5.0, Novell NetWare (/286, /386, /ELS, and Lite),
LANtastic, POWERLan, MS LAN Manager, DESQview, PC/MOS-386, DoubleDOS,
OS/2 2.x, and Windows 3.x.

Command-line parameters can be used to force the Mailer to terminate
with a given errorlevel as soon as there are no remaining calls to
make.

The Mailer includes features which makes it suitable as a front-end
to databases; service requests allows external applications to
consolidate current reports while the remote system is waiting to
receive the results.

Calls from users with terminal emulators are detected by the Mailer
and can be passed on to an external interactive host.

The Mailer includes a flexible scheduler, which can be used to launch
external applications. It also defines the Mailer's behavior on
treatment of calls and mail routing during specific times of the day.

The Mailer can automatically re-configure its modem with special
handling for the modems at selected destinations.

Separate tasks of the Mailer can either share or have individual mail
routing definitions, events configuration, and special modem handling
configurations.

The Mailer can receive inbound fax calls from ZyXEL-1496 compatible
modems. The received fax documents can then be viewed from within the
Editor by invoking an external fax viewer.

The Terminal emulates TTY, VT-52, VT-100, ANSI X3.64, and AVATAR/0+.
It accepts an optional external file transfer protocol, and features
auto-Zmodem downloads.

Other features of the Terminal include translation tables between
seven and eight bit characters, capture buffer with scroll-back,
logging of received data to a printer or file, split-screen
conversation mode, command history, upload of DOS text files, and a
way to load the Terminal after a session with an interactive host
has already been established.

The Terminal can be configured with over 65,000 different IEMSI-
profiles for automatic login to interactive hosts which support the
IEMSI specification. Automatic login to other hosts can be achieved
by using the extensive script language.

The Terminal can hold up to 400 entries in a special phone directory
with individual defaults for line settings, macro-key set, IEMSI-
profile, and script.

** Requires optional license.

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All trademarks and product names are property of their respective
owners.
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For additional information on FrontDoor APX and FrontDoor, contact:

United States and Canada:               Elsewhere:

James Smith                             Holger von Heissen
Online Communications, Inc.             ComDas GmbH
22 State Street                         Hornschuchpromenade 28
Bangor, Maine 04401                     D-8510 Fuerth
USA                                     Germany

Telephone: 1 207 941 1110               Telephone: +49 911 970 780
    Modem: 1 207 990 3511                   Modem: +49 911 970 7821
   E-Mail: 1:132/300@fidonet               E-Mail: 2:2400/5@fidonet
           255:2001/1@fdnet                        255:3049/102@fdnet
                                                  sales@comdas.abs.lu
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